The present invention relates to a metal wood type golf club head and, in particular, to a metal wood head having an improved aerodynamic design and weight distribution.
Traditionally, wood and metal wood type golf club heads are formed with a ball striking face, upper surface, bottom sole, heel and toe and rear surface areas, wherein the upper surface is tear-drop shaped and formed in a smooth aerodynamic configuration with gently rolling surfaces. The upper surface is traditionally larger than the bottom sole so that the club face configuration is formed generally in the shape of an inverted trapezoid.
With the advent of modern casting techniques, the size and shape of these type golf club heads has varied considerably. Many golf club heads known in the prior art and available in the market place are provided with aerodynamic surfaces which control the direction and velocity of air flow across the club head as it is being swung to increase club head speed by reducing drag. Club heads are also made in a variety of sizes and configurations in order to redistribute the weight either upwardly or downwardly or in a heel toe direction to satisfy the requirement of particular golfers to enable them to maximize the energy transfer to a golf ball when it is struck. However, many golf clubs are made with a higher center of gravity because of the weight distribution of the club head. This higher center of gravity requires more loft to affect the optimum launch angle that a golf ball needs to achieve maximum distance. The more loft that is used, the more spin is put on the ball, resulting in ineffective ball flight. A golf ball is moved by energy which translates into spin and velocity. A lower center of gravity needs less loft (face angle) to achieve optimum launch angle. The resultant ball flight is affected more by velocity than spin. The ball travels at a forward angle with more carry and more roll on the ground. Effective in calm conditions, this is particularly effective in windy conditions, since the ball is kept lower to the ground.
The present invention relates to a golf club head having a unique aerodynamic shape and weight configuration which maximizes energy transfer for a given effort by a golfer when hitting a golf ball. With the present invention, the golf club head has an upright trapezoidal geometry wherein the preponderance of weight is formed on the bottom of the golf club head, whereby the bottom surface or sole plate of the club head is significantly larger than the top surface thereof and the side walls are angled upwardly and inwardly creating the trapezoidal shape. This configuration creates a lower center of gravity, which allows an optimum launch angle at a lower loft without creating too much spin on the ball, thereby negating the ballooning effect, or too little loft, which results in insufficient carry of the ball during flight.
The sides of the club head at the heel and toe and rear surface are angled upwardly and inwardly to provide an aerodynamic configuration whereby there is less resistance at the top of the club head because of a smaller upper surface which results in reduced drag at the rear of the club head when it is being swung. The club head also includes an inside wall directly behind the ball striking face which is formed at an angle, the lower portion of the ball striking face being thicker and tapering to a less thick configuration toward the upper surface. This also aids in lowering the center of gravity to launch the ball with maximum velocity and the correct amount of spin. Additionally, the thickened reinforced ball striking face minimizes club face deflection when the golf ball is impacted.
Among the objects of the present invention are a provision of an improved aerodynamically trapezoidal shaped metal wood type golf club head with improved weight distribution and having a lower center of gravity to provide an optimum launch angle and spin rate to produce maximum carry and roll to a golf ball. Another object of the present invention is to provide a metal wood type golf club head having a bottom surface with a larger area than the top surface of the club head to redistribute the weight of the bottom of the club head. Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a metal wood type golf club head with an improved weighting system to locate the weight of the club head at the bottom. These and other objects will become apparent with reference to the following drawings and specification.